Urban Regeneration of Public Spaces and Pedestrian Streets in Commercial Area: Case of Chandni Chowk at Old Delhi, India

Mohammad Arif Kamal^1, , Vanishya Vasanth² and Mohd. Afzal Khan³

¹Architecture Section, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India

²Faculty of Architecture and Ekistics, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India

³Dept. of Architecture and Planning, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, India

Cite this paper:
Mohammad Arif Kamal, Vanishya Vasanth and Mohd. Afzal Khan. Urban Regeneration of Public Spaces and Pedestrian Streets in Commercial Area: Case of Chandni Chowk at Old Delhi, India. American Journal of Civil Engineering and Architecture. 2024; 12(3):44-50. doi: 10.12691/ajcea-12-3-1

Abstract

The designs have evolved, and designers are more focused towards attaining streets that are “reconfigurable, safer, and more accessible to pedestrians, cyclists, and tomorrow’s self-driving vehicles”. The services are beyond the buildings and such advancements provide both accessible and energy-harvesting sources. The dynamic property of the street also has a potential place-making factor. The research paper is to analyze the pattern of development and morphology of the commercial street specifically- the 1.4-kilometre redeveloped street network of Chandni Chowk. Despite having become an urban wasteland, the location continues to draw visitors from all over India and the globe who come to sample the cuisine and experience life in the middle Ages. Such streets focus on the origin of pedestrians and their flow towards the activities. The commercial outlook and functioning of the streets bring in more pedestrian footfall directed towards it. The redevelopment project has changed the pattern and morphology of the place blending with the past to give a new futuristic outlook while staying true to its roots. Chandni Chowk serves as the best example to cater to pedestrians' needs. Such public spaces connect various hot spots in the city and maintain both formal and informal pedestrian flow in a city. This research concludes by investigating the viability of place-making and place-marketing tactics to reproduce the 'old-world' magnificence of Chandni Chowk. The goal is to create a well-balanced approach that combines marketing and place-making concepts, repositioning this area as a tourism hotspot of Delhi's history.

Keywords:
urban regeneration development placemaking public space street network urban street Delhi India

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